PRINCETON,    N.     J. 


Wic.y»/a//y  T\.T\\vAX-r(A^A  . 


Shelf.. 


Dili. 
Sectiva 


Xu, 


<r2. 


^ 


AIV    ORATION, 


DELIVERED 


AT  THE  REQUEST  OF  PHOENIX  LODGE, 

CHESTER  COUNTY,  (PENN.)  DECEMBERS?,  1827: 


PROVING  THE 


"GREAT  lilGHT  OF  MASONRY*' 

TO  BE  FROM  GOD; 


ALL  "FREE  AND  ACCEPTED  MASONS"  ARE  BOUND  TO  READ, 

OBEY,  PRAY  OVER,  AND  UNITE  IN  SENDING  IT 

TO  THE  ENDS  OP  THE  EARTH. 


BY  THE  REV.  B.  ALLEN, 
RECTOR  OF  ST.  Paul's  church,  Philadelphia; 

a.  CHAPLAIN  OF  THE  O.  LODOK  OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 


PUBLISHED  AT  No.  92  SOUTH  SECOND  STREET. 
Stcreolyprd  by  L.  Jobneon. 

1838. 


PUBLISHED  by  request  of  the  Lodge.  Brothers  Dr. 
John  Ellison,  Lewis  W.  Richards,  and  James  White, 
were  appointed  a  Committee  to  make  the  request.  The 
Oration  is  cheerfully  yielded  to  the  desire  of  the  Bretliren, 
with  a  prayer  that  the  Divine  blessing  may  rest  upon  every 
one  who  reads  it. 

Philadelphia^  January,  1828. 


ORATION,  &c. 


There  is  no  institution  established  for  the  good 
of  man,  that  has  not  been  evil  spoken  of  The 
Divine  Author  of  our  holy  religion  was  crucified. 
His  prophets  were  sawn  asunder;  driven  into  the 
wilderness ;  chained.  His  apostles  stoned ;  cast 
into  dungeons ;  and  every  hour,  during  the  exist- 
tence  of  the  peaceable  kingdom  of  Jesus,  has  wit- 
nessed the  persecution  of  the  followers  of  Jesus. 

Masons  place  not  their  institution  on  the  same 
level  with  the  Gospel :  for  while  the  Gospel  is  Di- 
vitie,  Masonry  is  human  in  its  origin.  Still  the 
tendency  of  Masonry  is  to  benefit  the  human  race : 
it  cultivates  the  social  virtues;  cherishes  kind 
feelings ;  is  a  useful  handmaid  of  charity ;  forms  a 
bond  of  union  between  different  nations ;  utters  the 
language  of  tradition  in  favour  of  the  holy  oracles ; 
is  calculated  to  be  beneficial  in  a  very  high  degree. 
We  therefore,  brethren,  who  are  invested  with  its 
insignia,  and  enrolled  among  its  members,  ought 
not  to  be  surprised  at  its  being  evil  spoken  of 
The  character  of  the  human  heart  is  such,  that, 
though  it  requires  Almighty  power  to  correct  it, 
it  opposes  every  thing  which  aims  at  its  good. 

Let  us  ender>vour  to  fulfil  then  the  vows  of  our 
order,  and  heed  not  what  a  benighted  world  may 
say  of  us. 

Invited  by  the  brethren  of  Phoenix  Lodge  to 
appear  among  them  in  my  capacity  of  Grand 
Chaplain,  1  cheerfully  comply  with  their  request ; 


and,  conformably  to  the  dictates  of  my  own  mind 
and  heart,  resolve,  in  selecting  my  theme,  to  ad- 
dress you  as  the  apologist  of  Masonry. 

I  ask  your  candid  attention,  therefore,  while  I 
give  to  your  view  one  declaration  made  by  our 
order.     That  declaration  is,  that  the  Bible  is 

THE  GREAT  LIGHT. 

All  who  know  any  thing  of  the  order,  know 
that  it  continually  asserts  the  Bible  to  be  the  great 
light.  This  assertion  I  will  take  upon  me  to  prove 
true;  and,  as  the  foundation  of  my  discourse,  pre- 
sent to  your  notice  part  of  the  105th  verse  of  the 
1 1 9th  psalm,  in  which  the  declaration  of  the  psalm- 
ist, addressing  God,  is — 

Thy  word  is  a — light  unto  my  path. 

Two  distinct  ideas  are  here  presented. 

I.  That  the  scriptures  are  the  word  of  God. 

II.  That  word  is  a  light. 

Enforcing  these  ideas,  I  shall  show  the  cor- 
rectness of  Masonry  in  this  one  selected  particu- 
lar, viz.  calling  the  Bible  the  great  light. 

And  O!  may"  the  might  of  the  Father  in  heaven, 
and  the  wisdom  of  his  glorious  Son,  with  the  grace 
and  goodness  of  the  Holy  Ghost,*  be  with  us"  in 
our  beginning,  and  continue  with  us  to  the  end. 

There  is  a  necessity,  W.  M.  and  brethren, 
that  Masons  should  stand  up  in  defence  of  their 
great  light.  For  there  are  those,  neither  Christians 
nor  good  Masons,  who  are  endeavouring  to  ex- 
tinguish it.  There  are  men  endeavouring  to  over- 
throw the  Bible,  not  in  the  vulgar  way  in  which 
Paine  attacked  it,  but  by  doubting  parts  of  it;  turn- 
ing its  essential  truths  into  mere  allegory ;  substi- 

*  Prayer  at  the  opening  of  a  Lodge, 


stituting  human  speculations  for  divine  verities ; 
taking  unhallowed  liberties  with  the  holy  volume, 
in  precisely  that  way  which  is  intended  in  the 
end  to  destroy  religion  altogether.  The  prime 
mover  is  known.  He  is  the  same  who  once  preach- 
ed in  the  garden  of  Eden,  and,  contradicting  the 
word  of  the  Lord,  said  to  Eve,  "  Thou  shalt  not 
surely  die."  Some  are  engaged  in  the  evil  work, 
who  know  not  the  whole  design  of  the  arch  enemy. 

Let,  then,  the  voice  of  the  brotherhood  of  Ma- 
sonry be  raised  in  defence  of  that  which  the  Lord 
hath  spoken. 

I  affirm  that  our  order  deserves  attention,  be- 
cause it  proclaims  the  divine  origin  of  the  Scrip- 
tures, and  holds  forth  those  Scriptures  as  the 

GREAT  LIGHT  OF  MASONRY. 

Our  theme  is  worthy  the  notice  of  all.  Is  it  not 
of  some  consequence,  friends  and  brethren,  to 
know,  whether  you  are,  indeed,  no  better  off,  than 
the  Hottentot,  or  savage  warrior  ?  Is  it  not  of 
some  consequence  to  know,  whether,  like  the  clas- 
sic heathen,  you  have  no  assurance  of  a  better 
home?  whether  you  are  left  to  blind  chance,  or 
the  goddess  Fortune  ?  whether  you  are  to  direct 
your  own  steps  along  "  the  burning  marlc"  of  af- 
fliction and  sorrow?  or  whether,  indeed,  there  is 
a  God  ready  to  instruct,  comfort,  sanctify,  and 
finally  save  you  ?  The  question  with  you  is,  whe- 
ther you  shall  follow  that  pillar  of  a  cloud,  and 
pillar  of  fire,  which,  for  six  thousand  years,  has 
guided  the  camp  of  the  Lord;  or.  whether  you 
shall  stray  away  among  the  idolatries  of  the  hea- 
then, and  eternally  perish. 

How  do  we  know  our  great  light,  the  Bible,  to 

be  from  God? 
A  2 


The  greatest  and  the  best  of  all  evidence  is  that 
which  exists  in  the  heart  renewed  by  divine  grace. 
A  converted  man,  whether  learned  o^  unlearned, 
"  knows  his  Bible  true."  The  witness  in  himself  is 
so  strong  nothing  can  disprove  it. 

There  is,  however,  a  mass  of  evidence,  of  a  most 
admirable  character,  intended  and  calculated, 
irrefragably,  to  prove  to  all,  that  the  Bible  is  from 
God. 

We  know  our  great  light,  the  Bible,  to  be  from 
God ;  1.  Because  it  is  now  in  existence.  Why  has 
it  not  been  blotted  out  from  under  heaven  ?  Judas 
Iscariot,  and  Simon  Magus,  were  opposed  to  its 
truths.  The  Sadducees  denied  its  doctrine  of  the 
resurrection.  Magicians,  heathen  priests,  Rome, 
and  Persia,  and  Assyria,  Chaldea,  and  Tyre,  and 
Egypt ;  the  whole  world  of  idolaters  were,  toto 
coelo,  opposed  to  it.  .  It  keeps  no  terms  with  the 
wickedness  of  man,  and  the  wickedness  of  man 
has  ever  assaulted  it.  Julian  the  apostate,  Celsus, 
Porphyry,  Hume,  Voltaire,  the  whole  nation  of 
France,  all  that  whole  tribe,  the  spawn  of  every 
age  of  infidelity,  have  assaulted  the  Bible.  They 
have  corrupted  it,  shut  it  up  in  cloisters,  tried  to 
explain  it  away ;  every  form  of  assault  has  been 
put  in  requisition ;  yet  the  Bible  hves.  Why  ?  The 
gates  of  hell  cannot  prevail  against  it. 

We  know  our  great  light,  the  Bible,  to  bp  from 
God ;  2.  Because  of  the  character  of  its  doctrines. 
So  pure,  so  holy,  never  could  have  been  invented 
by  man.  Even  good  men  could  not  have  invented 
them ;  for  there  are  no  writings  of  any  age,  that 
approach  near  to  them  in  excellence.    Bad  men 


would  not  have  written  them.  Satan  could  not 
have  devised  them.*  God  alone  could  have  been 
the  author  of  them. 

We  know  our  great  light,  the  Bible,  to  be 
from  God ;  3.  Because  of  its  effects  upon  man- 
kind. It  has  made  nations,  once  the  most  bar- 
barous, refined,  civilized,  and  happy;  it  has 
made  those,  who  before  were  in  a  slight  de- 
gree civilized,  holy:  it  has  elevated  man  in  the 
scale  of  being ;  it  has  filled  him  with  high  hope, 
invigorated  his  mind,  purified  his  heart, 

Winged  his  soul 
To  fly  at  infinite,  and  reach  it  there. 
Where  Seraphs  gather  immortality, 
On  life's  fair  tree,  fast  by  the  throne  of  God. 

Thus  have  I  given  you  three  proofs  of  the  cor- 
rectness of  the  assertion  made  by  Masonry,  that 
the  word  of  God  is  the  great  light.  But  I  may 
proceed  to  three  times  three. 

We  know  Masonry  to  be  correct  in  this  asser- 
tion ;  4.  Because  of  the  character  of  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.  His  character,  as  described  in  the 
sacred  volume,  is  like  to  nothing  known  on  the 
face  of  the  earth;  it  is  opposite  to  all  beside.  The 
elements  which  compose  it  are  different.  The 
forms  of  character,  presented  to  view  by  mere 
men,  are  alike  in  their  component  parts ;  but  his 
is  opposite  to  all,  in  the  very  same  respects  in 

*  Diderot,  once  found  teacliing  the  New  Testament  to 
his  daughter,  with  an  earnestness  and  energy  surprising  in  an 
infidel,  said  to  his  friend  who  discovered  him  thus  employed, 
and  seemed  to  sneer  at  him,  "  I  know  what  you  mean,  but  af- 
ter all,  where  can  we  find  better  lessons  for  her  instruction." 
Infidels  in  general  have  made  the  same  acknowledgment. 


8 

which  Heaven  is  opposite  to  Hell.     It  must  he 
divine. 

5.   By  prophecy,  the  Bible  has  ever  shed  light 
upon  the  future. 

This  sacred  volume  predicted  the  coming  of 
Christ;  and  he  came.  It  predicted  the  destruc- 
tion of  Jerusalem.  Read  Josephus,  and  you  will 
see  whether  that  prophecy  was  fulfilled.  It  pre- 
dicted that  the  Jews  should  be  driven,  scattered, 
trodden  under  foot,  without  prince,  or  ephod,  or 
teraphim,  without  any  of  the  symbols  of  their  an- 
cient grandeur,  and,  like  no  other  instance  ever 
known,  remain  distinct  from  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth.  Look  at  the  Jews — you  have  only  to 
open  your  eyes,  and  you  see  this  wonderful  pre- 
diction fulfilled.  Antichrist  was  foretold;  and 
antichrist  has  his  chapels  even  in  our  own  lands. 
Mohammedanism  was  predicted :  Mohammed  has 
arisen.  The  gathering  in  of  the  Gentiles  was 
announced:  this  has  occurred.  Assyria,  Baby- 
lonia, Persia,  Grecia,  Rome,  Tyre,  &c.  all  have 
arisen,  acted,  perished,  exactly  as  the  Bible  said 
they  would.  Egypt  is  the  basest  of  kingdoms,  as 
the  holy  volume  declared  it  should  be. 

6.  The  Bible  was  supported  by  miracles. 

These  were  not  performed  in  a  cave,  like  those 
of  Mohammed,  but  in  the  presence  of  all  the  world; 
in  courts,  palaces,  towns,  cities,  before  hundreds, 
thousands ;  in  the  presence  of  the  bitterest  ene- 
mies, when  every  opportunity  was  given  to  con- 
tradict them.  They  were  not,  hke  the  mummery 
of  transubstantiation,  opposed  to  the  testimony 
of  the  senses ;  but  were  acts  which  the  senses 
declared  to  be  real.  These  miracles  have  me- 
morials existing  in  the  customs  of  the  Jews,  and 


in  the  customs  of  christians,  even  to  this  hour. 
The  infidel  Hume  says,  miracles  are  not  to  be 
believed,  because  they  are  contrary  to  experience. 
Then,  as  one  has  w^ell  replied,  the  king  of  Siam 
ought  not  to  believe  there  is  any  such  thing  as 
ice  or  snow,  because  he  has  never  seen  either. 
Then  you  might  say,  there  are  no  such  customs 
as  those  in  the  city  of  Pekin,  or  in  the  region  of 
Thibet,  because  you  have  not  witnessed  them. 
It  is  contrary  to  your  experience  for  a  Turkish 
mosque  to  exist;  for  you  never  saw  one.     We 
have   evidence — the  testimony  of  others — what 
can  we  have  more  ?  .  We  have  stronger  evidence 
than  if  we  saw  them  ourselves:  we  might  then  say 
that  our  senses  deceived  us;  but  we  cannot  say 
that  so  many  myriads  of  men,  in  so  many  different 
generations,  have  been  deceived.     They  testify. 
The  utmost  degree  of  evidence,  that  we  can  pos- 
sibly desire,  exists. 

7.  The  principal  facts  narrated  in  the  sacred 
volume  agree  with  the  traditions  of  all  nations. 

The  most  ancient  empires  give  us  no  record 
of  any  thing  earher  than  the  Holy  Scriptures. 
Their  traditions  of  the  creation  are  similar  to  the 
Mosaic  account.  Their  traditions  of  the  deluge  are 
almost  as  numerous  as  the  drops  of  the  morning 
dew.  Their  traditions  of  the  building  of  Babel, 
of  the  destruction  of  Sodom,  of  every  remarkable 
event  recorded  in  the  sacred  page,  are  surpris- 
ing. These  traditions  agree  with  the  Bible  better 
than  they  agree  with  each  other,  showing  the 
Bible  to  be  the  true  account,  while  they  are 
partly  mingled  with  fable.  Virgil,  Tacitus,  He- 
rodotus, indeed  every  ancient  classic  writer  of  any 
note,  alludes  to  the  prominent  facts  mentioned  in 


10 

'the  Bible.  So  does  Zoroaster.  So  do  the  Brah- 
mins of  India.    Longinus  quoted  the — let  there 

BE    LIGHT,   AND    THERE    WAS    LIGHT of  the    Sacred 

page,  as  the  greatest  specimen  of  the  subhme. 
Even  infidels*  acknowledge  that  mankind  are  all 
of  one  stock,  and  came  from  one  quarter  of  the 
globe;  the  very  quarter  whence  the  Bible  says 
they  came. 

8.  The  world  is  full  of  monuments,  which  agree 
with  the  Bible  account. 

The  ruins  of  ancient  cities ;  the  relics  of  em- 
pires ;  the  pyramids  of  Egypt ;  the  sepulchres  in 
the  valley  of  Thebes ;  the  ashes  of  Babylon ;  the 
discoveries  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  capital 
of  the  Medes ;  the  dust  of  Tyre ;  the  pillars  of 
Persepolis;  the  arch  of  Titus;  coins,  too,  and  me- 
dals,! bear  the  same  testimony.  They  all  pro- 
claim that  our  great  light  had  a  divine  original. 

9.  The  Holy  Scriptures  have  ever  been  pie- 
served  with  almost  miraculous  care. 

When  Moses  wrote  3300  years  ago,  his  writ- 
ings were  received  as  sacred,  placed  in  an  ark,  read 
every  seven  years  at  full,  every  letter  counted; 
the  prince  was  obliged  to  copy  them ;  the  people 
were  commanded  to  teach  them  to  their  children, 
to  wear  them  as  signs  on  their  hands,  as  frontlets 
between  their  eyes.  When  the  other  prophets 
wrote,  their  books  were  regarded  with  the  utmost 
veneration ;  the  psalms  were  made  a  part  of  the 
daily  temple  service.  At  length,  the  prophets 
were  read  alternately  with  the  law  in  the  syna- 
gogues, three  times  every  week. 

*  As  BufFon,  &c.  &:c. 

X  See  Home's  great  work  on  the  Scriptures. 


11 

The  whole  volume  of  the  scriptures  of  the  Old 
Testament  was  collected  by  Ezra,  the  last  of  the 
prophets,  2200  years  ago.  The  Jews  valued  them 
more  than  life,  preserved  them  as  an  inestimable 
treasure,  carried  them  in  all  their  dispersions, 
read  them  continually  in  all  their  captivities. — 
Though  the  Scriptures  contain  accounts  of  their 
characters,  and  the  characters  of  their  fathers,  by 
no  means  agreeable  to  national  pride ;  yet,  to  this 
very  hour,  they  cleave  to  those  Scriptures  with 
an  attachment  uninterrupted  by  the  lapse  of  so 
many  generations. 

The  Bible  in  Hebrew  is  the  same  as  the  Bible 
in  English.  The  Samaritans,  a  new  and  distinct 
witness,  have  the  five  books  of  Moses.  Three 
hundred  years  before  the  coming  of  Christ,  the 
whole  of  the  Old  Testament  was  translated  into 
Greek,  the  language  of  the  learned  of  that  day, 
and  deposited  in  the  Alexandrian  library,  where 
all  the  world  might  read. 

The  New  Testament  was  received  as  equally 
sacred  by  all  christian  assemblies ;  its  pages  were 
regularly  read,  carefully  preserved,  and  looked  to 
as  authority,  even  to  this  hour.  It  was  quoted  in 
the  first  century  by  men  whose  writings  we  have, 
quoted  in  the  second,  quoted  in  the  third,  in  every 
century  since,  by  men  whose  writings  we  have. 

All  denominations  of  christians  agree  in  holding 
the  same  Old  and  New  Testaments  in  all  parts  of 
the  world  to  this  day.  They  unite  in  distributing 
the  one  Bible,  whatever  may  separate  them  beside. 
The  Ethiopic,  Persic,  Arabic,  Syriac,  every  kind 
of  translation  handed  down  from  ancient  times,  is 
found  to  agree.  The  whole  life  of  a  learned 
man  has  been  spent  in  selecting  various  readings, 


12 

and  ended  in  discovering  nothing  in  the  shape  of 
difference  worthy  of  note — nothing  affecting  either 
precept  or  doctrine. 

We  know  the  pentateuch  was  written  by  Mo- 
ses ;  Moses  himself  says  so.  The  concurring  testi- 
mony of  all  antiquity,  uninterrupted  tradition, 
almost  all  the  sacred  writers,  inform  us  that  Moses 
wrote  the  pentateuch.  Jews,  Samaritans,  and 
christians,  say  so.  The  writings  of  Moses  speak 
of  the  Israelites  as  contemporary  with  himself;  and 
the  Israelitish  practices,  laws,  worship,  all  they 
hold  dear,  are  grounded  entirely  upon  those  sacred 
writings — the  very  laws  and  government  of  the 
people. 

10.  Egypt  was  the  cradle  of  the  sciences,  and 
the  country  of  the  Israelites.  Greece  received 
the  sciences  from  Egypt.  The  nations  of  the 
earth  borrowed  from  the  Jews,  to  whom  hght 
was  communicated.  At  the  very  time  they  de- 
spised the  Jews,  they  borrowed  from  them.  As 
men  of  the  world  now  despise  christians,  while 
they  borrow  all  their  best  ideas  from  Christianity. 

11.  The  Greeks,  Romans,  and  other  heathen 
nations,  translated  Moses  among  their  gods,  ac- 
knowledged him  the  most  ancient  lawgiver,  and 
an  historian  of  unimpeached  veracity.  They 
adopted  among  their  customs,  laws,  ceremonies, 
many  of  the  Mosaic. 

12.  The  candour  of  the  writers  of  the  Bible  is 
remarkable.  Thus  Moses  records  his  own  fail- 
ings. The  sins  of  the  Israelites  in  all  their  dark 
colours  are  recorded.  The  sins  of  Abraham,  the 
sins  of  the  Patriarchs,  are  faithfully  set  down. — 
David's  sin. — Peter's  sin  is  written  in  the  New 
Testament.  These  records  show  that  the  inspired 


13 

men  were  honest,  wrote  not  from  evil  motives, 
sought  not  their  own  aggrandizement. 

Thus  have  I  given  you  three  times  three,  in  ad- 
dition to  the  first  three  proofs  that  our  great  hght 
is  from  God. 

13.  The  harmony  of  the  various  writers  of  the 
Scriptures  is  wonderful.  They  were  of  all  con- 
ditions of  life,  from  the  king  to  the  herdsman,  and 
wrote  in  different  parts  of  the  world,  during  a  pe- 
riod of  sixteen  centuries.  Still  their  writings  are 
as  the  radii  of  one  circle,  the  rays  from  one  sun. 

14.  The  superstitions  of  the  whole  world  have 
taken  the  simple  ideas  revealed  in  the  Mosaic  ac- 
count, and  amplifying,  abusing,  corrupting,  have 
engrafted  themselves  upon  them.  Sacrifice,  for  in- 
stance, was  commanded  in  the  Scriptures.  Every 
heathen  nation  under  heaven  has  been  in  the  prac- 
tice of  offering  sacrifice.  This  rite  of  divine 
origin  was  commanded  of  old  as  a  type  of  Christ. 
The  nations  of  the  earth  have  adopted,  but  abused 
it.  The  leading  ideas  of  their  superstitious  wor- 
ship have  thus  been  abuses,  and  corruptions  of 
scriptural  ordinances. 

15.  Christ's  resurrection  is  proclaimed  by  the 
Scriptures.  To  the  truth  of  this  proclamation, 
Rome  bears  testimony ;  and  so  does  Galatia,  and 
Thessalonica,  and  Corinth,  and  Ephesus,  and  a 
host  of  other  cities  and  lands,  in  all  of  which  were 
gathered  churches  whose  faith  rested  on  the 
truth  of  this  doctrine. 

No  men  ever  died  in  attestation  of  a  falsehood ; 
many  have  died  for  a  false  opinion.  The  apos- 
tles died  in  testimony  of  the  fiict  of  the  resurrec- 
tion. This  fact,  the  whole  world  of  Christianity 
at  the  present  day  proclaims. 


14 

16.  Only  holy  scripture  introduces  God  speak- 
ing as  the  infinite  Jehovah.  Jove,  Jupiter,  &c.  as 
described  in  the  writings  of  the  heathen,  are 
mere  representatives  of  corrupt,  lewd,  wicked 
men.  The  sublimity  of  the  scripture  character  of 
Jehovah  is  such,  the  mind  humbles  itself  in  vene- 
ration. 

17.  The  Scriptures  meet  the  longings  of  the 
human  heart. 

There  is  in  man  a  consciousness  of  sin.  The 
Bible  points  him  to  a  Saviour.  Man  feels  that  he 
is  depraved;  the  Bible  tells  him  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
He  is  sorrowful ;  he  finds  the  Holy  Ghost  a  com- 
forter. He  discovers  nothing  on  earth,  that  can 
satisfy.  The  Scriptures  lead  to  peace,  to  joy  un- 
speakable; bind  up  the  wounds  of  his  spirit;  pour 
in  oil  and  wine,  which  no  heathen  system,  no  cold 
speculation  of  philosophy,  ever  could  find  out. 
Yes,  man  feels  that  he  deserves  punishment :  holy 
scripture  tells  us  of  an  atoning  sacrifice.  Man 
desires  immortality :  holy  scripture  leads  him  to  a 
mount,  whence  he  can  survey 

"  The  land  of  pure  delight 
Where  saints  immortal  leign.  " 

Thus  the  Bible  does,  what  nothing  else  can  do, 
meets  all  the  longings  of  the  human  heart. 

18.  The  Bible  meets  the  expectation  of  divine 
teaching,  entertained  by  the  ancient  heathen. 
Plato,  and  Socrates,  confessed  their  need  of  divine 
teaching.  The  latter  said  there  was  wanting 
some  universal  mode  of  saving  men's  souls,  which 
no  sect  of  philosophy  had  ever  yet  found  out. 
Both  acknowledge  there  was  no  means  of  reform- 
ing the  world,  but  divine  teaching.     This,  which 


15 

they  so  anxiously  desired,  we  now  possess. 
Aristotle  exclaimed  as  he  died,  "in  pollution  I 
was  born,  anxious  I  have  lived,  doubting,  I  die ;  O 
thou  cause  of  causes,  pity  me."  More  than  Egypt- 
ian darkness  brooded  on  the  mind  of  this  mighty 
philosopher.  The  Bible  enables  the  peasant  to 
lie  on  his  dying  pillow  and  exclaim, "  /  know  that 
my  Redeemer  liveth^  and  though  after  my  skin,  worms 
destroy  this  body,  yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God.  I 
have  fought  a  good  fight;  I  have  finished  my  course; 
I  have  kept  the  faith,henceforth  there  is  laid  up  for  me 
a  crown  of  righteousness,  which  the  King,  the  righteous 
Judge,  will  give  me  at  that  day. 

19.  Let  us  for  a  moment  cast  our  eyes  over 
the  world,  and  see  what  would  be  our  condition 
if  we  had  not  the  Bible.  The  examples  I  will  se- 
lect for  the  comparison  shall  not  be  those  of 
Hottentots,  and  Esquimaux,  merely ;  but  the  no- 
blest, the  most  refined  of  the  nations  of  the  earth. 
Their  ideas  concerning  God  were  dark  and  con- 
fused. They  were  sunk  in  the  grossest  polythe- 
ism. They  worshipped  the  vilest  things  in  crea- 
tion. Their  rites  were  cruel,  absurd,  most  awfully 
Hcentious.  Think  of  Venus,  Bacchus,  and  all 
those  of  whom  some  of  you  have  studied ;  who  are 
spoken  of  now  in  lascivious  songs ;  who  are  the 
theme  of  the  drunkards  of  this  day.  Think  of 
children  being  offered  to  Moloch;  the  casting  of 
infants  into  a  hollow  brazen  idol  heated  red  hot, 
and  drowning  their  cry  with  the  dissonance  of 
harsh  music.  Think  of  human  sacrifices ;  of  boys 
whipped  to  death  at  the  altar  of  Diana  of  the 
Ephesians. 

They  were  ignorant  of  the  true  account  of  the 
creation  of  the  world.    They  were  ignorant  of  the 


16 

origin  of  evil ;  of  the  means  of  reconciliation  with 
God;  of  the  aids  of  divine  grace;  of  the  summum 
bonum,  or  real  good,  of  life.  They  had  faint  no- 
tions indeed  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul.  The 
very  elysium  their  poets  fancied,  was  as  dreary  as 
a  Siberian  winter.  Hear  Socrates  saying  at  his 
death,  "  I  am  going  out  of  the  world,  you  are  to 
continue  in  it ;  but  which  of  us  has  the  better 
part,  is  a  secret  to  every  one  but  God." 

"  Alas!  the  tender  herbs,  and  flow'ry  tribes, 
Though  crush'd  by  winter's  unrelenting  hand, 
Revive  and  rise  when  vernal  zephyrs  call. 
But  we,  the  brave,  the  mighty,  and  the  wise, 
Bloom,  flourish,  fade,  and  fall, — and  then  succeeds 
A  long,  long,  silent,  dark,  oblivious  sleep ; 
A  sleep,  which  no  propitious  pow'r  dispels, 
Nor  changing  seasons,  nor  revolving  years. " 

What  then  would  be  your  condition  if  our  great 
light,  the  Bible,  were  extinguished  ?  Could  you 
reasonably  expect  it  to  be  better  than  that  of  the 
ancient  heathen  ?  They  questioned  the  provi- 
dence, justice,  and  mercy  of  God.  They  had  no 
idea  of  the  certainty  of  a  state  of  future  rewards 
and  punishments.  Do  you  suppose  your  situation 
would  be  better  than  theirs,  if  the  Bible  were  now 
to  leave  you  ?  Are  you  so  much  superior  to  Plato, 
Socrates,  and  Aristotle,  that  you  could  have  found 
out  what  they  were  enabled  only  to  guess  at.-* 
Plato  encouraged  adultery,  and  said,  lying  be- 
came a  wise  man.  Nor  was  Socrates  pure  in  his 
own  personal  habits.  The  exposure  of  children 
to  perish  was  declared  by  Plato  to  be  no  crime. 
Pride  was  cherished  universally;  and  love  of  po- 
pular applause.  Revenge  was  accounted  a  vir- 
tue.   Egypt   and   Sparta  both .  permitted   theft. 


17 

Lycurgus  commanded  infants,  imperfect  in  iorm, 
to  be  put  to  death.  Athens  directed  sick  slaves 
to  be  killed.  Seneca  openly  recommended  sui- 
cide: Demosthenes,  Cato,  Brutus,  and  multi- 
tudes more,  committed  it.  Now  was  there  any 
virtue  in  society  ?  Lying,  stealing,  and  adultery, 
sanctioned  by  the  wisest  men.  Tell  me,  were  the 
body  of  the  people  not  likely  to  practise  such  les- 
sons ?  Teach  men  that  their  lusts  are  to  be  gra- 
tified, and  the  consequences  soon  follow. 

Rome  engaged  in  unceasing  wars  from  the  mere 
lust  of  domination,  piracy,  and  pillage.  The  peo- 
ple were  accounted  no  better  than  the  mire  of  the 
streets.  Licentious  indulgence  characterized  all. 
Tyranny  sat  at  the  helm  of  state.  The  temples  of 
the  Gods  were  brothels ;  what  were  the  dwellings 
of  the  people  } 

What,  then,  if  you  had  not  the  Bible,  would  you 
do  ?  Would  you,  like  the  Egyptians,  worship  an 
onion  }  or,  like  the  Greeks,  whip  your  child  to 
death  at  the  altar  of  Diana  ?  or,  like  the  Romans, 
believe  in  the  flight  of  vultures  ?  Would  you  be- 
lieve in  the  gods  of  gold,  silver,  stone,  which  they 
worshipped  }  Alas  !  for  the  honour  of  human  na- 
ture, men  have  changed  the  glory  of  the  incorruptible 
God,  into  an  image  made  like  unto  corriipfiblc  man, 
and  birds,  and  fourfooted  beasts,  and  creeping  things. 
They  have  changed  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie,  and 
worshipped  and  served  the  creature,  more  than  the 
creator,  who  is  blessed  forever,  Amen. 

If  you  had  not  the  Bible,  the  acknowledged 
great  light  of  Masonry,  perhaps  you  would  he 
like  Hume,  who  taught  that  adultery  wns  no 
crime  ;  or  like  Voltaire,  who  openly  committed  it ; 
or  like  Rousseau,  the  corrupt  sentimentalist;  or 
n  2 


18 

Herbert,  who  said  that  the  vilest  passions  were 
not  worse  than  hunger  or  thirst ;  or  Hobbes,  who 
taught  that  every  man  had  a  right  to  all  things, 
and  might  get  them,  if  he  could ;  or  Bolingbroke, 
who  said,  that  self-gratification  was  the  chief  end 
of  man. 

Cannibalism;  the  murder  of  fathers  and  mo- 
thers, by  burying  them  alive,  or  leaving  them  to 
perish  in  the  open  field,  or  on  the  bank  of  a  river 
where  the  rising  waters  may  overwhelm  them ; — 
the  slaughter  of  infants,  with  a  thousand  name- 
less crimes,  are  the  characteristics  of  heathen  ido- 
latry now.    Hindostan  has  330  millions  of  deities. 

Would  you  go  with  the  Druids  into  their  bloody 
groves  ?  Your  fathers  did  so,  and  worshipped 
there  with  most  savage  rites.  Why  are  you  dif- 
ferent ?  Because  you  have  the  Bible.  Would  you 
become  a  mere  wild  beast,  like  the  Ajax  of  Ho- 
mer.'^ or  a  profane  swearer,  Hke  Socrates.'*  or  a 
liar,  like  Plato,  who  openly  taught  there  was  no 
harm  in  it  .^^  Would  you  become  a  murderer  of 
infants,  like  the  Chinese.'*  leave  your  mother 
to  perish,  like  the  Hindoo?  be  brutally  Ucentious, 
like  the  Mohammedan  }  Would  you  worship  ser- 
pents, like  the  Tartars  }  or  the  devil,  like  the  na- 
tives of  Africa.'*  or  will  you  cleave  to  the  bible, 

AND  BE  A  LOVER  OF  GoD  AND  OF  MAN  ,'* 

20.  Extinguish  the  great  light,  and  you  destroy 
t'le  freedom  of  America. 

The  country  of  our  ancestors  was  once  under 
a  despotism  as  complete  as  that  of  the  Satraps  of 
the  east.  The  time  when  this  existed  was  a  time 
when  the  people  were  not  allowed  the  Bible :  the 
time  of  Cardinal  Wolsey — the  time  of  full  blown 
popery:   then   your  fathers  were    burnt    at  the 


19 

stake  on  account  of  the  rising  desire  to  pos- 
sess the  holy  volume.  Cranmer,  Latimer,  Ridley, 
Tindal,  and  others,  achieved  the  reformation,  and 
as  a  means  of  effecting  their  mighty  work,  circu- 
lated the  Scriptures. 

Despotism  was  lessened  in  that  very  hour.  The 
Bible  proved  to  the  people  that  "  the  divine  right 
of  kings"  was  a  mere  fantasy.  The  people  re- 
tained the  king,  but  for  a  time  introduced  a  com- 
monwealth ;  and  though  they  returned  to  kingly 
government,  and  yet  retain  a  king,  who  does  not 
see  the  superiority  of  the  freedom  enjoyed  by 
England  in  the  nineteenth  century  to  that  which 
she  knew  in  the  sixteenth.  Henry  Vill.  was  a 
despot.  Look  at  a  single  instance  in  proof 
They  tell  us,  that  on  a  certain  occasion  he  was 
desirous  that  a  bill  should  pass  in  the  house  of 
commons.  The  commons  were  unwilling  to  pass 
it.  Henry  sent  for  the  speaker,  and,  as  he  knelt 
before  him,  laid  his  royal  hand  upon  his  head,  say- 
ing, "  have  that  bill  passed  to  morrow,  or  your 
head  shall  be  the  forfeit."  The  bill  was  passed. 
The  parliament  of  Britain  now  contends  for  at 
least  a  portion  of  the  people's  rights. 

The  perfection  of  freedom,  however,  is  found 
in  our  beloved  country.  Who  planted  tiiis  land  ? 
Who  brought  liberty  to  it  ?  Those  that  Hcd  from 
intolerant  church  principles,  from  disguised  j)(>- 
pery.  And  who  were  they  ?  The  New-England- 
ers,  the  Friends,  the  Scotch  who  first  sought 
refuge  in  the  north  of  Ireland,  those  who,  fur  a 
time,  found  a  home  in  Holland,  kc.  Flying  from 
persecution,  they  brought  the  Bible  with  them. 
That  taught  them  the  equality  of  all  before  God. 
They  acted  upon  the   truths  thus  taught:    they 


20 

spread  abroad  the  Bible.  No  country  under  hea- 
ven has  it  so  universally  disseminated.  No  coun- 
try under  heaven  has  it  so  universally  possessed. 
And  what  is  the  consequence  ?  America  is  free. 
Yes,  a  spectacle  is  here  presented  of  what  a  people 
become  who  have  the  Bible  in  all  their  dwell- 
ings. The  Bible  alone  is  not  only  the  religion  of 
Protestants,  but  the  fountain  of  civil  hberty.  The 
device  of  the  wicked  among  the  priesthood  has 
ever  been  to  put  traditions  along  side  of  the  Bi- 
ble ;  to  exalt  traditions  above  the  Bible;  and  final- 
ly, as  the  prime  work  of  hell,  to  withdraw  the 
Bible  entirely  out  of  the  hands  of  the  people.  The 
destruction  of  civil  and  ecclesiastical  liberty  ever 
has  followed  in  exact  proportion  to  the  degree  in 
which  this  great  light  of  Masonry  has  been  eclips- 
ed, or  kept  out  of  view.  Masonry,  then,  should 
ever  glory  in  holding  forth  the  divine  volume,  and 
contending  for  it  against  all  opposers. 

Have  we  not  here,  brethren,  one  reason  why 
popery,  open  or  disguised,  is  ever  found  the  ene- 
my of  Masonry  ? 

France,  ignorant  of  the  Bible,  because  under 
the  pope,  disgusted  with  the  mummeries  of  the 
Romish  priesthood;  France  abolished  the  very 
name  of  religion ;  France  sunk  soon  into  the  hor- 
rors of  despotism.  Popery  every  where  produces 
the  same  result.  It  forbids  the  circulation  of  the 
Bible.  The  ignorance  of  the  people  is  friendly 
to  despotism;  civil  rights  perish  along  with  reli- 
gious. Look  at  Spain — look  at  every  other  land 
where  ecclesiastical  intolerance  reigns  without 
opposition.  The  Bible,  then,  is  our  charter  of 
civil  freedom;  we  are  bound  to  cherish  it  as  such. 

I  congratulate  you,  brethren,  that  a  resolution 


21 

has  been  taken  to  disseminate  this  great  hght  of 
our  order,  and  of  the  world,  until  each  cottager 
in  the  remotest  border  of  Pennsylvania  shall  bo 
possessed  of  its  radiance. 

The  Bible  Society  was  opposed  by  the  grand 
Turk.  He  issued  his  firman  against  it.  The  mo- 
dern disciples  of  archbishop  Laud,  the  hero  of 
the  starchamber,  also  oppose  it.  But  let  all  the 
lovers  of  rational  liberty,  let  freemen,  especially 
let  the  brotherhood  of  Masons,  rejoice  in  its  pro- 
gress. Ten  States  in  the  Union,  I  glory  to  inform 
you ;  ten  States  in  the  Union,  have  in  whole,  or  in 
part,  determined  to  proceed  to  the  work  of  uni- 
versal dissemination.  I  may  say  to  you,  brethren, 
(though  it  is  not  generally  announced,)  that  one 
Bible  Society,  the  Society  of  Philadelphia,  has 
resolved,  that  as  soon  as  this  great  light  of  our 
order  is  diffused  throughout  every  hut  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, then,  by  the  help  of  the  most  High,  it  shall 
be  diffused  throughout  South  America.  Nor  will 
the  work  cease  there.  The  light  shall  be  diffused 
until  every  people,  and  kindred,  and  tongue,  and 
nation,  rejoice  in  its  splendour. 

And  O!  are  you  not  willing  to  enrol  yourselves 
beneath  the  standard  of  the  Lord  God,-^ 

Masonry  is  designed  to  make  you  better  men, 
better  members  of  civil  socictv :  no  man,  indeed, 
can  be  a  true  Mason  unless  he  be  obedient  to  the 
Bible.  The  world,  brethren,  thinks  ill  of  our  or- 
der, because  of  the  conduct  of  individuals,  and  of 
lodges.  Ignorant  of  the  principles  which  form 
the  foundation  of  Masonry,  men  judge  of  it,  by 
what  they  see  in  us.  This  is  no  more  fair,  than 
it  is  to  judge  of  rehgious  institutions  by  the  con- 
duct of  ecclesiastical  tyrants.     The  world,  how- 


22 

ever,  will  thus  judge,  and  wc  must  act  according- 
ly. Remember,  then,  I  beseech  you,  that  a  single 
intemperate  Mason  is  enough  to  ruin,  in  the  eyes 
of  many,  the  character  of  the  whole  order.  A 
single  profane  Mason  is  enough  to  blast  the  repu- 
tation of  our  principles ;  and  shall  we  not,  for  the 
sake  of  the  brethren,  as  well  as  ourselves,  take 
heed  to  our  ways  ?  Do  we  love  Masonry  ?  Let 
us  prove  the  sincerity  of  our  love,  by  doing  what 
we  profess  to  do ;  that  is,  following  the  guidance 
•of  the  great  light. 

The  way  to  become  wise  unto  salvation,  as  well 
as  happy  in  the  attainment  of  civil  and  religious 
freedom,  is  to  study,  prayerfully  to  study,  the  holy 
word.  Teach  it  to  your  children,  brethren,  and 
thus  prove  that  you  are  real  friends  to  the  liber- 
ties of  your  country.  Enrol  yourselves,  again  I 
say,  beneath  the  standard  of  the  Lord  God  om- 
nipotent; and  engage,  this  hour  engage,  in  the 
glorious  work  of  disseminating  the  Bible  to  the 
remotest  habitation  of  man. 

"  From  Greenland's  icy  mountains, 

From  India's  coral  strand, 
Where  Afric's  sunny  fountains 

Roll  down  their  golden  sand; 
From  many  an  ancient  river, 

From  many  a  palmy  plain, 
They  call  us  to  deliver 

Their  land  from  error's  chain. 

What  though  the  spicy  breezes 

Blow  soft  o'er  Ceylon's  isle; 
Though  ev'ry  prospect  pleases, 

And  only  man  is  vile; 
In  vain,  with  lavish  kindness 

The  gifts  of  God  are  strewn; 
The  heathen  in  his  blindness 

Bows  down  to  wood  and  stone." 


23 

Are  you  not  desirous,  brethren,  enrolled  under 
the  banner  of  charity,  to  enter  that  army,  which, 
with  the  Almighty  for  its  guide,  is  severing  the 
chains  of  the  captive  soul  ?  bearing  light  among 
those  who  sit  in  darkness  ?  That  army  is  com- 
posed of  all  the  good  of  every  land.  Are  you  not 
ready  to  enrol  yourselves  in  this  army  against 
vice,  ignorance,  superstition ;  against  the  murder 
of  parents,  and  the  murder  of  children  ? — to  fight 
the  good  fight  of  faith^  to  lay  hold  on  eternal  life  for 
yourselves,  and  endeavour  to  impart  it?  Then 
cleave  to  the  record  of  inspiration ;  to  the  great 
light,  the  Bible. 

Are  you  willing  to  return  to  the  darkness  of 
heathenism ;  to  return  to  the  feeble  glimmerings 
of  the  debauched  age  of  Plato,  and  Socrates  .'* 
Then  listen  to  those,  neither  christians,  nor  good 
Masons,  who  advise  you  to  substitute  your  own 
speculations,  for  the  truth  of  the  Eternal;  who  say, 
there  is  no  need  of  the  righteousness  of  a  divine 
Redeemer ;  who  refuse  the  bloody  sacrifice  God 
has  constituted  for  an  atonement,  and,  like  Cain, 
offer  only  the  offering  of  gratitude;  who  think 
faith  unnecessary. — Yes,  that  faith  which  our 
great  light  declares  to  be  the  substance  of  things 
hoped  for ^  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen.  That  faith 
by  which  the  elders  obtained  a  good  report. 

You  are  compassed  about  with  a  great  cloud  of  wit- 
nesses. Enrol  yourselves,  then,  under  the  banner  of 
the  KING  OF  GLORY,  jit  liis  name,  the  name  of  Jesus, 
every  knee  shcdl  boiv.  What,  brethren,  must  be  the 
fate  of  those  who  neglect  to  enlist  under  his  ban- 
ner }  Read  Joscphus,  and  you  will  sec  what  he 
did  to  Jerusalem.  Stand  in  the  plain  of  Morch, 
and  look  abroad,  and  see  the  smoke  of  the  whole 


24 

country  ascending  like  the  smoke  of  a  furnace. 
Read  Robert  Kerr  Porter's  travels,  and  see  what 
remains  of  her,  who  once  was  the  glory  of  king- 
doms^ the  beauty  of  the  Chal(lce''s  excellency.  Behold, 
with  the  prophet  Daniel,  the  throne  of  fiery  flame^ 
its  wheels  as  burning  fire ;  a  fiery  stream,  issues  and 
comes  forth  from  before  him.  See  the  whole  earth 
covered  with  the  fragments  of  nations  and  em- 
pires, all  overthrown  by  the  conquering  arm  of 
Jesus.  Stand  over  the  ashes  of  the  Alexanders 
of  the  world;  look  at  the  graves  of  the  Caesars; 
ponder  the  monuments  of  the  Belshazzars;  say, 
then,  as  you  remember  how  they  fell,  whether 
you  are  stronger  than  they.  Canst  thou  thunder 
with  a  voice  like  God?  Canst  thou  send  abroad  the 
rage  of  thy  icraih  ?  Canst  thou  cast  forth  light- 
nings ?     Remember,  God  hath  said,  If  any  man 

SHALL  TAKE  AWAY  THE  WORDS  OF  THE  BOOK  OF  THIS 
PROPHECY,  God  shall  TAKE  AWAY  HIS  PART  OUT  OF 
THE  BOOK  OF  LIFE,  AND  OUT  OF  THE  HOLY  CITY,  AND 
FROM  THE  THINGS  WHICH  ARE  WRITTEN  IN  THIS  BOOK. 

May  all  "  free  and  accepted  Masons"  engage 
in  the  combat  with  the  principalities  and  powers 
of  darkness,  enter  the  path  enhghtened  by  the 
favour  of  the  God  of  eternity — the  path  which 

SHINETH  MORE  AND  MORE  UNTO  THE  PERFECT  DAY. 


